Multiple layer thermal insulation



Jan. 16, 1962 .1. D. GlLEs ET AL MULTIPLE LAYER THERMAL INSULATION Filed Feb. 17, 1960 INVENTORS. usm-:Munie igual s a w|| AM BY L' al Wm Q'd@ A TTORNE YS.

3,017,020 MULTIPLE LAYER THERMAL INSULATION Jeremiah D. Giles. Litchfield, Conn., and William Julius, Pittsburgh, Pa.; said Julius assigner to said Giles Filed Feb. 17, 1960, Ser. No. 9,259 Claims. (Cl. 206-59) This invention relates to a form of heat insulation of the type made up of paper and aluminum foil. It is an important feature of this type of insulation that it should be capable of being rolled up for sale and shipment. It should be cheap and simple to manufacture and should be capable of being readily installed with a layer of aluminum foil held spaced away from the paper.

The present invention shows a device which can be made very easily and which still maintains the highly important feature of having the foil run tight over against the stud so that no, substantial space is left for heat leakage along the face of the stud.

This invention can most readily be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which show an illustrative example of the invention. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of the edge portion of the device with the layers of paper folded as they would be in the rolled up form of the device except that the different layers of paper are slightly separated so that the folds will show up more clearly.

FIG. 2 shows the structure in the form of a roll with edge of the paper iiat.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the backing sheet expanded with the peak crease raised to the top position.

FIG. 4 shows the device installed in a building and indicates the way the edge of the peak crease will be pressed against the stud.

In making the device of the present application a long strip of paper is employed as a base sheet which may be simple kraft paper or may be paper waterproofed in any desired way, or it may be paper carrying metal facing on one or both sides. In some cases heavy foil (say .001") may be used, but if foil is used it is to be considered equivalent of the metallized paper. This main backing sheet is designated in the drawings by the numeral 10.

In the manufacture of the insulating structure a substantial edge portion of the sheet is folded inwardly over the upper face of the sheet and creased down making a layer or iirst leg 12 and forming what I term the edge crease 14. The edge of sheet 10 is then folded back again outwardly to form leg 16 and the base crease 17. The edge portion of the sheet is then folded for the third time back towards the center of the sheet a short distance (but underneath leg 16) to form leg 18, and then is folded for the fourth time outwardly again to form leg 22. 'Ihe fold between leg 16 and leg 18 is designated as peak crease 20. Preferably leg 16 and leg 18 are connected together for a short distance down from the peak crease 20 as by adhesive indicated at 21. As shown in the drawings the four folds in the side portion of the base sheet provide four legs. The rst leg 12 extends from the edge crease 14 to the base crease 17. The second leg 16 extends from the base crease 17 to the peak crease 20. The third leg 18 extends from the peak crease 20 to the line of the fourth fold and the fourth leg 22 extends outwardly from the fourth fold line toward the edge crease 14. The width of base sheet in the third and fourth legs between the edge crease and peak crease is shorter or narrower than the width of base sheet in the lirst and second legs between the edge crease and peak creases and this difference in width as described hereinbelow and shows in FIG. 4 is responsible for positively pulling the peak creases 20 outwardly United States Patent G Fice against the inner faces of the studs when the insulating structure is installed in a building.

The outer end of leg 22 is secured to layer 12 as by adhesive indicated at 28. This adhesive prevents relative sliding movement between leg 12 and leg 22, but stops a substantial distance from crease 17 as indicated at 29. Specifically, the distance from the edge of the adhesive at 29 to the crease 17 should be equal to at least half the total length of leg 16 so that leg 16 can assume an approximately vertical position at right angles to sheet 10'. When held up in this manner it will hold an insulating sheet 26 spaced from sheet 10 and the free parts of leg 18 and 22 between the edge of adhesive 21 and point 29 will form what may be termed a slack diagonal as indicated in FIG. 3. When the sheet is flattened out this diagonal will be folded between leg 16 and leg 12 as shown in FIGS. l and 2. The insulating sheet 26 referred to above is preferably aluminum foil which is attached in any desired way adjacent the peak crease. In the illustrated example it is shown running over the top of the crease and is attached to the underside of leg 16.

When in flat position this structure can readily be rolled up for shipment as shown in FIG. 2.

When the structure is to be installed between the studs of a building, a section of the device of proper length is cut ol from the roll and the edge creases 14 on either side of the sheet are pulled apart. This will cause a pleat 24 formed in the central part of the sheet 10 to open and the pull of sheet 26 will tend to lift the peak creases 20 as shown in FIG. 3. When the parts are in this position the peak creases 20 will be free to move either way from the vertical position except that the tensioning effect of the diagonal portions of legs 18 and 22 will tend to pull the legs 16 outwards towards the faces of the stud. When the device is installed by pushing the free edges 14 against the outer faces of the studs as shown in FIG. 4, the corner of the stud will tighten up on the slack portion of diagonal 18 and this will positively pull the peak creases 20 outwardly and tight against the inner faces 0f the studs as shown in FIG. 4.

The width of the foil sheet 26 may be adjusted as desired either so that it will be under tension when the peak creases are forced outward against the stud faces, or it may be slightly slack at this point to be sure that the peak creases press against the stud faces. This is a matter of design that may be varied at will. It is also permissible to use a second layer of foil which is attached to leg 16 intermediate crease 17 and the peak crease 2G. Such a sheet is indicated in FIG. 4 and is designated as sheet 32.

It will be noted that in this design the peak creases are in no way lifted by pulling their base legs apart as has been customary in commercial devices of this general type but are initially lifted by the tension of the foil sheet running between the peaks. On the contrary the attachment of the legs that run up to the peak creases are so arranged that (except for the pull of the foil sheet) the whole tendency of the peaks is to remain flat but facing outwardly. This tendency of the peak creases to be urged outwardly is maintained (as already explained) by the pressure of the stud on the diagonal portion of legs 18 and 22. As a result the foil layer is caused to be held over closely adjacent to the faces of the studs to prevent air leakage as occurs in many of the prior devices that have been in commercial use.

It is understood that the illustrative example given is intended only by way of illustration and that the same may be modified in many particulars Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A roll of thermal insulation adapted to be opened up to form an insulating structure comprising spaced layers of material to resist flow of heat which structure will be held so as to run from the inner face of one stud of a building to the inner face of an adjacent stud, such roll comprising a base sheet having edge portions each folded inwardly to form edge creases, then folded outwardly to form base creases and first legs between said edge creases and base creases, then folded inwardly again toward the base creases to form peak creases and second legs between the peak creases and base creases, then folded outwardly again to form third legs between the peak creases and the line of said fourth folds and fourth legs which extend outwardlyfrom said fourth fold lines toward the edge creases, the width of base sheet in said third and fourth legs between the edge creases and peak creases being shorter than the width of base sheet in the rst and second legs between the edge creases and peak creases, means for attaching together a portion of the first and fourth legs in the sheet so that they are held against relative sliding movement with the two legs lying substantially at against each other, a longitudinal pleat in a central portion of the base sheet, an insulating sheet attached adjacent each peak crease, said insulating sheet being of such width that when the edge creases of the base sheet are pulled apart to expand the said pleat the peak creases will move upwardly away from the body of the base sheet whereby portions 0f the third and fourth legs are caused to separate from the second and first legs respectively and tension is maintained tending to urge the peak creases outwardly towards the edge creases of the base sheet due to the difference in width of the portions of the base sheet in the legs thereof.

2. A structure as specified in claim l in which the second and third legs are adhesively connected in face to face contact adjacent to the peak crease.

3. A structure as specied in claim l in which the base sheet is made of paper.

4. A structure as specified in claim 1 in which the said insulating sheet is aluminum foil.

5. A structure as specified in claim 4 which includes a second layer of foil attached on each side to that portion of the base sheet which runs between the first base crease and the peak crease.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,739,703 Giles Mar. 27, 1956 2,749,262 Wiser June 5, 1956 2,782,914 Giles Feb. 26, 1957 

